


i know this love is heading in the same direction. and that's up.

by winter_bunny



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Conspiracy, Happy Ending, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Short, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-10-06
Packaged: 2018-12-22 05:23:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11960595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winter_bunny/pseuds/winter_bunny
Summary: Five times Robb conspired with his siblings (and Jeyne) to make Theon say that he loves him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Olly Murs feat. Demi Lovato 'Up'.

_‘I was a coward running away again. But everywhere I went, you caught up with me, so I had to come back.’_

_‘I want to believe you, but I can't. You've hurt me too many times.’_

_‘You can believe me this time.’_

_‘That's it?’_

_‘I love you, too.’_

 

“Seriously, why does it always have to be Gossip Girl? What’s so special about this? There are so many, many really good not so cheesy tv shows but this…” Theon complained and immediately earned three ‘Ssshhs’ to shut him up.

“Okay, okay.” He muttered as he tried to get up from the sofa but was pulled back by his sleeve to sit down again.

“Because some of us like this cheesy teen drama television series.” Robb whispered into his ear as he put an arm around Theon’s shoulder and leaned over to place a kiss on his cheek.

“Yeah, whatever…”

“Have you been paying attention, Theon?” Jeyne asked as she turned around with a smirk. She and Sansa had sat down on the floor in front of the sofa. “Even the worst promiscuous bad boy of the Upper East Side can finally admit his feelings towards his true love and say that he loves her.”

"This is so romantic." Sansa agreed with a dreamy expression on her face.

Theon growled as he leaned forward and slightly hit Jeyne on the back of her head.

“Ouch.”

“This is none of your business, Poole.”

Jeyne and Sansa huddled together and started to giggle and whisper things Theon and Robb couldn't hear into each others ears. Robb rolled his eyes but smiled and pulled Theon a little closer. “He’ll say it when he’s ready… Right, honey?”

 

\---

 

 

**1 - Rickon**

 

“Theon?” Robb’s little brother pulled at his sleeve as he stood in front of the coffee machine in the Stark kitchen, filling another cup with the black liquid he loved so much.

“What can I do for you, little one?” he asked as he smelled at his cup and closed his eyes.

“I’m not so little anymore, in case you haven’t noticed… Anyway, could you help me with my homework?”

Theon raised an eyebrow.

“Pleeeaaaase?”

“Why don’t you ask Robb? He’s way better at like any subject at school.”

“Rickon asked you because I already helped him yesterday while you were sitting in my room and were busy playing Fifa or whatever...”

“I don’t think I remember-“

“And you promised that you would help Rickon the next time he needed help with his homework.” Robb reminded him and turned his attention back to the meal he was about to prepare for dinner.

Theon sighed and took a sip of his coffee. “Alright.” He placed the cup on the kitchen table next to Rickon’s school books and sat down next to Rickon on the corner bench.

“So, which subject is it?”

“English.”

“Do you know who’s really good in English?”

“Let me guess… Robb?” Rickon answered unimpressed. “But I want you to help me.” He added with his most charming smile that showed a missing tooth.

Theon couldn’t help but smile and raised his hand to ruffle Rickon’s shaggy auburn hair that was so similar to Robb’s.

“Let’s start then. What’s the task?”

Rickon leaned over the notebook. “Huh, I can’t make out that handwriting. Shireen’s a girl, aren’t girls supposed to have beautiful, readable handwritings?” he shoved the notebook towards Theon. “Can you read it?”

“I do not have my glasses on.”

“You don’t have any.”

“Touché. It was worth the try, at least...” He scratched his nose. “Let me see… What is it that you can’t make out?”

Rickon pointed on a sentence on the lower part of the page. “That one.”

“I don’t see the problem. That’s easy to read.”

“Well, I can’t.” Rickon said with an excited undertone. “So would you please read it aloud?”

Theon rolled his eyes. “Fine. ‘I love Robb’-“

The two sitting on the corner bench heard Robb let out a pleased snort as he turned around from the pot of hot Bolognese sauce. He walked over and kissed Theon on the cheek with a bright smile. “Nice to know... I love you, too.”


	2. Chapter 2

**2 – Jeyne and Sansa**

 

“This is so boring.” Robb complained as Sansa was about to deal out the cards for their third game of Rummy Gin.

Theon smiled as he picked up his cards. “You only think that it’s boring because you lost all three games in a row.”

“Pff.” Robb snorted and rolled his eyes.

“Robb is right.” Jeyne agreed. “Rummy Gin is a stupid game.”

Sansa laughed as she laid the last card on the table. “That’s because you lost three games in a row, too.”

“I can’t believe that you suck at playing cards, Robb. This was all you Starks did during your family vacations when you were younger. Even Rickon plays better than you...” Jeyne muttered and pushed the cards away.”How about playing charade? We haven’t played that in like forever.” She suggested with excitement. “Dibs on Sansa.”

Sansa smiled and put a hand on Jeyne’s arm. “This is a great idea.”

“No, forget it. You don't get Sansa.” Robb said immediately. “That would be unfair. You know each other way too well… If we play charade-“

A sly smile spread on Jeyne’s face. “And you only say that because you don’t want to be in a team with Theon because he sucks at playing charade.”

“Hey, that’s not true.” Theon defended himself.

“So you could be in a team with Theon, Jeyne.” Robb said sweetly.

“Maybe we should draw by lot who is in a team together.”

“Have you two forgotten that I’m still here?” Theon muttered slightly offended.

Sansa got up to catch some pieces of paper and a pen and wrote their names down. She folded the pieces and threw them into an empty bowl on the table. She mixed them by shaking the bowl a little and held it towards Jeyne. “Since it was your suggestion…”

Jeyne looked away and grabbed the papers by two. She handed two to Sansa and they began to unfold them.

“Yes.” Sansa let out a triumphant cry while Jeyne closed her eyes and sighed dramatically.

“Fuck…”

“I got you, Robb.” Sansa said and showed them the names on the paper pieces. “Which means that Theon and Jeyne are on the other team.”

“Great.” Robb said and held his hand towards his sister for a high five.

Jeyne made a face. “Alright. Since you are the better team-“ which earned her another  annoyed ‘Hey’ from Theon “- Theon and I start.”

“Okay.” Robb said. “But we pick your word or sentence.”

“Okay.”

Robb smiled and leaned down to whisper something in Sansa’s ear. She grabbed the pen and another piece of paper, wrote something down and handed it to Jeyne.

“Thanks.” She looked down at what Sansa had written and looked up to meet Robb’s eyes. There was an almost invisible smile on her face and she nodded.

Then she turned towards Theon. “Ready?”

“Ready.”

“Okay. Sansa, you can take the time. Now.” Jeyne thought for a moment. Then she raised her right hand and showed three fingers.

“Three words?”

Jeyne put a finger on her nose and pointed at Theon. _Yes._

Then she held up her index finger. _First word._

She pointed towards Theon.

“Me?”

Jeyne nodded slowly and held her hands towards him and spun them in circles to get him to go on with his guessing.

“’Theon’? … ‘I’?” Jeyne nodded. “Okay, the first word is ‘I’?”

Jeyne held up two fingers. _Second word._

With her index finger she pointed on her chest. Theon raised a questioning eyebrow and Jeyne took a deep breath. With both of her thumbs and index fingers she formed a heart and held it in front of her chest.

“Heart? ‘I heart’? No, that makes no sense… ‘I love’?”

Jeyne nodded with a smile and raised three fingers. _Third word._

She pointed at Robb as her smile got brighter.

“Dude? Seriously?” Theon asked angrily and turned towards Robb. “Don’t you think that this is a bit too obvious?”

“I actually told Sansa a totally different word, dumbass.” Robb answered slightly offended but winked at Sansa the moment Theon looked away. “Well, if you don’t want to say it… This means you lose...”

“Come on, Theon. I don’t want to lose.” Jeyne urged.

Theon rolled his eyes. “I hate you. Both of you.”

“That’s not the right answer.”

“THEON!”

“JEYNE!”

“SAY IT!”

Theon sighed and shook his head. “You’re the worst… What did I do to deserve a best friend and a boyfriend like the two of you?!”

Robb sighed and his smile slowly turned into a pout that Theon usually found pretty cute but made him feel bad immediately in this moment.

“But since we are known for our generosity, Sansa and I’ll give you a last chance not to lose this round…”

“Fine.” Theon said in a more peaceable voice, rolled his eyes again and smiled at Robb as he grabbed his hand. “’I love Robb.’ Pleased now?”

Robb’s smile returned too as he squeezed Theon’s hand. “Very.”


	3. Chapter 3

**3 - Arya**

 

The school bell rang and as usual Theon Greyjoy was the first one to leave the classroom.

He was on the way to his locker to store away the books he no longer needed that day as a firm hand hit his back and a small, skinny figure jumped in front of him. “Hey Greyjoy.”

“Jesus, what the- Did your parents feed you steroids or something?“

Robb’s youngest sister smiled at him. “Sword fighting is finally paying off… Have you seen Robb?”

“No, little Stark, not yet, I-“

“Rickon is the smallest Stark, stupid.”

“You’re stupid, I’m pretty sure that Rickon’s already taller than you by now.”

“Yeah, whatever.” She shrugged, turned around and was gone.

“Starks…” Theon muttered, rolled his eyes and continued the way to his locker.

 

“This is not new to us, Greyjoy, everyone already knows it.” Robb’s cousin Jon grinned cheekily at Theon as he put a hand on his shoulder in passing but didn’t stop to talk to him.

_“What the-“_ he thought.

And that wasn't even the last weird comment he received while he was walking towards his locker. Several girls were whispering and giggling as they walked past him. And no one seemed to bother to enlighten him what was going on.

 

“Have I ever told you how much I like it when you wear those archery clothes?” a familiar voice said and a hand softly rubbed up and down his back. “Especially when it has such a nice note on its back.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Theon asked as he turned around towards Robb and looked over his shoulder. With his right hand he grabbed the piece of paper that was fixed on his back with some cellotape.

Theon immediately recognized Arya’s scrawly handwriting. Big, bold capitals that said ‘I LOVE ROBB STARK’, underlined twice and followed by no less than five exclamation marks.

“Arya-“ he growled and crumpled up the piece of paper. “That little-“

“Careful, Theon, you’re talking about my baby sister.” Robb reminded him warningly.

“You don’t have to say that. I’ve been hanging around your house since I was a kid and saw your family getting bigger and bigger.  So I’m pretty much aware of whom you’re related with... And I was about to say monster…” he added.

“No need to be pissed.” Robb threw him a charming smile, grabbed Theon's free hand and interlaced their fingers. “I’m pretty sure that she only meant well…”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure, too, that _SHE_ only meant well… A wonder that there aren't any spelling mistakes...” Theon muttered, emphasized the word 'she' (which was ignored by Robb) and looked at his watch. “Anyway, the break is almost over and I have to go. Coach Cassel is going to rip off my head if I’m late again.”

Theon looked to his left and his right as if to make sure that no one else was nearby. He grabbed the front of Robb’s shirt, pulled him closer and kissed him. “See you later.”

Robb smiled at him. “Yeah, see you later.”

Robb watched Theon leave for the gym, the crumbled piece of paper still in his hand. He saw Theon stop at a trash can and raise his hand to throw it away. He looked down at it and uncrumpled it with a small smile on his face. After staring at it for a few seconds he folded it up neatly and put it into the pocket on the back of his jeans before he walked towards the exit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it took so long to update this :)


	4. Chapter 4

**4 – Jeyne II**

Theon opened the front door, stepped inside the flat he shared with Jeyne Poole and threw his backpack into the corner of the hallway.

He made his way towards the living room and could hear that Jeyne was already at home.

 

_“Ev’rybody, ev’rybody, ev’rybody wants to be a cat…”_

 

He entered the room and threw himself on the sofa, looking for the remote. Jeyne sat cross legged on her armchair next to the sofa.

“If you thought about changing the channel, forget it. It’s DVD and I hid the remotes.” Jeyne said, her eyes practically glued on the tv screen.

Theon rolled his eyes. “Seriously? Disney? Again? I mean, how often have you seen these films?”

“Seriously, you can’t watch them often enough.”

Instead of giving a proper response Theon just growled.

“Why are you so angry? Had a bad day at school?”

“Come on, you won’t try to tell me that you haven’t heard about the note…”

“The note on your back that said that you love Robb?” she finally turned around and smiled at him. “Who hasn’t heard about that?”

Theon crossed his arms in front of his chest and made a face.

“Why are you so annoyed about that? It was just one of Horseface’s harmless jokes… Have I ever told you what she did with Sansa’s mattress while she was away?”

“You should not call her Horseface, you know that she doesn’t like it…”

“Yeah, anyway… I still don’t see the problem. Everyone already knows and it’s crystal clear that you’re madly in love with Robb-“

“JEYNE!”

“But I’m right, aren’t I?”

Theon sighed and looked to the side.

Jeyne stared at him for a moment and pulled the remotes from the side pocket of her armchair. “Look, I’ll help you.” She said with a sly smile on her face. “Just repeat after me… _‘I love you, Robb.’_ ”

“What are you? A love doctor or something?”

“Theon-“

“Jeyne… Why are you so invested in this anyway? I mean, this is a thing between Robb and me.”

“Because I like him. Robb is a good guy and I just want the best for the two of you and I want you to keep him.”

“He’s not a pet or something.”

Now it was Jeyne who rolled her eyes. “You know how I mean it…”

Theon took a deep breath. “Fine. What do you have in mind?”

Jeyne’s smile got even brighter. “Oh, this is going to be great… I’ll make a man out of you-“

And before Theon could say another word, Jeyne jumped to her feet. “Let’s get down to business, to defeat the Huns, did they send me daughters, when I asked for sons-“ and ran out of the room.

“JEYNE!” Theon was on his feet, too, and followed her to the kitchen.

“Be a man, you must be swift as a coursing river with all the force of a great typhoon… with all the strength of a raging fire, mysterious as the dark side of the moooooooon…” followed by a happy laughter as Theon grabbed Jeyne, pulled her into a tight hug and put one hand over her mouth to shut her up. He could still hear her muffled giggles.

A moment later he released her and she turned around to face him, still a smile on her face. “Okay, okay… I’ll behave myself…”

She pulled her mobile phone from the pocket of her jeans and laid it in front of her on the kitchen table before taking place. “Sit down.”

Theon took two cans of iced tea from the fridge and placed them on the kitchen table between him and Jeyne.

“Thanks… So, let’s begin.” Jeyne took one of the cans and opened it. “At least you have admitted to yourself that you love him… You just have to say it out loud.”

Theon nodded slowly as he took a sip from his iced tea.

“It’s not that difficult. Three words, eight letters-“

Theon rolled his eyes. “One more tv show or movie reference and I’m out.”

“Okay, okay…  It’s just such a great scene-“

“Jeyne-“

“Yeah, I’ll focus from now on-“

“Wait, wait, wait-“ Theon interrupted her suddenly and raised his eyebrow in suspicion. “This is not something Robb has set up again, is it?”

“What?” Jeyne’s cheeks turned a little red. “I don’t know what you’re talking about…”

“You know that I know when you’re lying, Jeyne, your heart beats faster then.”

“Pff, as if you could hear my heartbeat from sitting across the table. You’re not Daredevil.”

“And you and Robb aren’t as smart as you think you are.”

Jeyne rolled her eyes and began to toy with her phone. “Just for your information… I haven’t seen Robb since we had the game night-“

“Yeah, and on that evening you were conspiring against me, too.”

“Conspiring? Seriously? Not everyone is against you, Theon, so can we continue, please?”

Theon took a deep annoyed breath and closed his eyes as Jeyne seized the moment to secretly call Robb and put the phone on her lap under the table so Theon couldn’t see it.

“Promise me that you won’t tell anyone about this, not even Sansa.”

“I promise.”

Theon took another deep breath and looked at Jeyne. “I love you, Robb.”

Jeyne smiled (as did Robb on the other side of the telephone line) and reached for his hand. “Was it that bad? Now you just have to say it to Robb himself…”


	5. Chapter 5

**5 - Bran**

 

One week passed between Jeyne’s love doctor session with Theon and his next visit at the Stark house. Theon stood on the porch, his backpack thrown over one shoulder, waiting for someone to open the door.

A few minutes passed until the door was opened and Robb’s younger brother Bran appeared behind it.

“Hey Theon. Robb’s not at home.”

“Yeah, I know. Can I come in anyway and just wait for him?”

“Sure.” Bran said, shrugged and turned his wheelchair around. Theon entered, closed the front door behind him and followed him to the living room. He didn’t enter and stopped at the door frame, leaning against it. Bran's dog Summer lifted his head for a moment to check who had come into his territory. He saw Theon, yawned and put his head back on his paws.

“So, Bran, how are you going to do it?”

“How am I going to do what?”

“Does everyone mistake me for an idiot?” Theon muttered in an annoyed voice. “Apparently has your oldest brother decided to conspire with each one of your siblings, and even my foster sister, to-“

“No need to continue.” Bran interrupted him. “I told Robb that you were too smart to not notice what’s going on.”

“Thank you. At least one person who gives me some credit… I mean, Rickon, Sansa and Jeyne and Arya couldn't have acted less unsuspicious…”

Then there was silence for a few moments. Bran’s attention had turned back to the book he had obviously been reading before Theon arrived and Theon, still leaned against the door frame, just watched him.

“But you do love him?” Bran asked out of a sudden.

Theon thought for a moment and then answered with a helplessly happy smile on his face. “How couldn’t I? He is the nicest person I’ve ever met, we’ve been best friends for years and he’s adorable and-“ he licked his lips “- and he loves me. I don’t know what I did to deserve someone like him but… He just loves me.”

“And you think that you’re going to fuck things up with him.”

Theon nodded slowly. “I don’t want to screw up what I have with him. He’s way too important to me.”

“And you think that if you tell him that you love him that it’ll be even worse when it doesn’t work out.”

Theon swallowed hard. Bran had nailed it. Even the thought of losing Robb was almost too much to handle.

 

He startled as he felt someone step closely behind him and then two arms were put around his waist. He turned his head around and saw Robb’s shaggy auburn curls as he leaned his head on Theon’s shoulder.

“Robb, I- when-“

Robb hugged him tightly.

“I’ll leave the two of you alone.” Bran muttered as he passed them to leave for the kitchen or something, his dog Summer right behind him.

“How long have you been home?” Theon asked quietly.

“Long enough… I-“

“No, Robb, it’s-“

Robb shut him up by squeezing him tightly against his chest. “No, you shut up and listen to me.” He mumbled against the soft skin of Theon’s neck. “I didn’t want to piss you off. I thought it might be funny or something and if I had known that you were so annoyed by it, I swear, I wouldn’t have done it. It’s just… I love you so much and- you just take your time, it doesn’t matter… A month, a year, it doesn’t matter. I want to be with you, so please don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not mad at you. There’s nothing you could do to make me mad at you.” Theon whispered and put his hands on Robb’s and leaned his head against Robb’s.

 

\---

 

**+1 – Theon**

 

Several days later Theon and Robb sat on the couch in Theon’s and Jeyne’s flat. Robb cross legged with a book on his lap while Theon had his legs stretched out on the coffee table and was playing a new game on his PlayStation.

Robb was so absorbed in his book that he didn’t even notice when Theon paused his game and turned his head to look at him.

They had been best friends since childhood and Theon thought of Eddard and Catelyn Stark as second parents. Eddard had probably been more of a father to him than Balon Greyjoy ever was.

And a few months ago Theon had realized that there was more than just friendship between him and Robb. And he remembered how Robb had dared him to make the first step.

_“Prove it.” Robb had said, standing a few feet apart from him, his river blue eyes meeting Theon’s, his cheeks slightly flushed and chewing on his lip._

_And then how he had just stared at him for a solid minute before slowly closing the gap between them. He lifted his hand to Robb’s cheek as he stood right in front of him and stroked it softly with his thumb. He had no idea why he had been so scared before. Scared that Robb wouldn’t feel the same way he did, laugh at him or the worst, leave him… But when Robb had stared at him and said ‘Prove it.’, he knew that there was no need to be scared._

 

 “Robb? You know that I love you, right?” Theon asked.

“Mmmh.” Robb hummed.

“Robb? I was talking to you…”

“And I was listening.”

“No, you weren’t.”

Robb slowly lowered at his book and turned his head towards Theon with an apologetic smile. “Sorry… It’s just- this book is so good. It’s about some medieval realm and the king travels very far to ask his childhood best friend to be his new advisor and come with him to court and there’s knights and wolves and dragons… And then some ancient monster no one believes in shows up again and- it’s just amazing…”

Theon smiled in return. Robb was so adorable when he got so invested in something. “And let me guess… There’s some fancy prince you can totally identify yourself with?”

Robb blushed but continued to smile. “Shut up… Anyway, what did you say?”

Theon licked his lips and became serious again. “I said ‘You know that I love you, right?’.”

Robb’s smile faded and he blinked several times unbelievingly. “What?”

“I said that I love you.”

Robb closed his book, put it aside and then crawled on Theon’s lap. He put his hands on Theon’s cheeks and smiled brightly.

“I love you, too.” He whispered before leaning forward to pull Theon into a soft kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and leaving kudos :)  
> I hope you liked it...


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